Posted Friday, May 26, 2006, The OG, news

Senior Roveiza Irfan was named Student of the Year at Uni High's annual awards ceremony held Thursday at the Illini Union. She was selected by a vote of the school's faculty members. Irfan was honored for her work on behalf of the school and community, as well as for her commitment to academics and her demonstrated respect for the dignity and worth of the individual.

Winners of the following awards were also announced at the assembly for the first time.

• Principal's Award: Senior Brett Clark, for his spirited contributions to Uni High as a model student and citizen.

• June Mank Award: Senior Angelina Liang, for her commitment to serving the school in a variety of activities and volunteer projects. This award is given to a student who most shares the late June Mank's supportive role on behalf of Uni High.

• Wylde Q. Chicken Award: Seniors Tess Garvey and Batia Snir, for exhibiting spontaneous creativity, unbidden originality, and thinking that goes “outside the box.” The award is given each year by members of the Class of 1972. Subfreshman Langston Allston-Yeagle won honorable mention.

• Iris Chang & Peter Kolodziej Writing Awards: Senior Matthew Freeman, first prize, nonfiction; sophomore Shara Esbenshade, first prize, fiction; Esbenshade and junior Emma Anselin, honorable mention, nonfiction; Jackie Hedeman, honorable mention, fiction.

• Christopher Bannister Award: Senior Stephen Buzard, for the growth and resilience he has shown in many fields, including, but not exclusively in, music.

• Emma Koenker Foreign Language Award: Seniors Tess Garvey and Cordelia Loots-Gollin, for their interest in and respect for different cultures throughout the world.

• James Tobin Award: Senior Lucas Ecker, for his excellence in the social sciences and his ability to go above and beyond the classroom.

• Tom Jolly Spirit of Uni Award: Senior Josie Chambers, for her commitment to and support of the Uni community, including her outstanding contributions to athletics. [Note: This award was presented at the spring athletic awards ceremony held Tuesday at Loomis Lab.]

• Junior League of Champaign-Urbana Award: Senior Annie Fehrenbacher, for her outstanding and consistent local volunteer work.

• Kiwanis Vic Shaul Award: Senior Nuole Chen, for her tremendous service contributions to the community.

• Philip Anderson Award: Senior Colette DeJong, for her exceptional performance in science throughout her Uni career.

• Illinois State Science Teachers Association Award: Senior Kangway Chuang, for his academic excellence and desire to enter a scientific field.

• Bausch & Lomb Science Scholarship Program Award: Junior Emma Anselin, for her outstanding work in science.

• Ella Leppert Award: Uni seniors selected math teacher Elizabeth Jockusch for this honor, which recognizes outstanding teaching at Uni High. (Click here for information about the reception that will be held June 5 in honor of Jockusch's retirement.)

• Administrator of the Year Award (Illinois Journalism Education Association): Kassie Patton. Journalism teacher David Porreca nominated Patton for this award, which honors those administrators who have encouraged and defended a free student press. Prof. Sally Turner of Eastern Illinois University presented the award.

— Gargoyle staff